CIRIA announces new guidance for structural stability on site

The refurbishment of existing buildings constitutes a large proportion of the building work being carried out in the UK.

Much of the work is carried out by smaller developers and contractors and even by self-builders. Issues of structural stability often occur, occasionally resulting in collapses. Often, structural engineers have not been appointed to save cost, or their advice overlooked but in many cases the dangers of structural stability during refurbishment are simply not appreciated. HSE inspectors who attend sites have reported that while larger contractors had made strides in improving the health and safety of workers on their sites, smaller contracting companies, often engaged in smaller refurbishment projects, were more of a concern. This CIRIA guide provides information to these smaller companies, as well as providing general guidance for clients, designers and contractors. Messages to government are also presented based on industry feedback.

The guidance has been prepared following a period of consultation with industry bodies and individual experts and is presented as a series of downloadable toolbox talks (TBTs) that address individual topics. A launch event is also planned for 28 November in London so please do join us.